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Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about refVenue affiliate tracking platform

Frequently Asked Questions

General

What is refVenue?

refVenue is an affiliate management platform that helps businesses track referrals, manage affiliates, and automate commission payments.

How much does it cost?

Visit our pricing page for current plans and pricing.

What payment systems do you support?

  • Stripe: Full automatic integration
  • Manual tracking: Works with any payment system (PayPal, Square, etc.)
  • API integration: For custom payment flows

For Merchants

How do I get started?

  1. Sign up for an account
  2. Create your first program
  3. Add tracking to your website
  4. Invite affiliates

Do I need Stripe to use refVenue?

No! Stripe integration is optional but recommended. You can use manual tracking with any payment system.

How are commissions calculated?

Commissions are calculated on the net amount (what the customer actually paid after discounts):

  • Percentage: e.g., 10% of $80 = $8
  • Fixed: e.g., $5 per conversion

When do I pay affiliates?

You control the payment schedule. Common options:

  • Monthly (most common)
  • Bi-weekly
  • After reaching minimum threshold
  • Custom schedule

Can I approve conversions before paying?

Yes! All conversions start as "Pending" and you can:

  • Review for fraud or quality
  • Approve legitimate conversions
  • Reject suspicious ones
  • Commissions only paid on approved conversions

What if a customer refunds?

With Stripe:

  • Refunds automatically reverse commissions
  • Affiliate earnings updated in real-time

Manual tracking:

  • Mark conversion as refunded in dashboard
  • Commissions reversed manually

How do I prevent fraud?

refVenue includes built-in fraud detection:

  • Rate limiting
  • Email validation
  • Geographic anomaly detection
  • Self-referral detection
  • Quality scoring system

Learn more about fraud prevention

For Affiliates

How do I join a program?

Three ways:

  1. Accept merchant invitation email
  2. Browse marketplace and apply
  3. Use merchant's direct signup link

How do referral links work?

When someone clicks your link:

  1. Affiliate code stored in cookie
  2. Cookie lasts 30 days (default)
  3. If they convert within 30 days, you earn commission
  4. Works across page visits

What are coupon codes?

Coupon codes let you track conversions without requiring clicks:

  • You create a coupon (e.g., "SAVE20")
  • Customer uses coupon at checkout
  • You earn commission automatically
  • No referral click needed!

Learn more about coupon codes

Why aren't my conversions tracking?

Common reasons:

  1. Cookie expired: Customer didn't purchase within cookie duration
  2. Cookies disabled: Customer has tracking disabled
  3. Wrong link: Using incorrect referral format
  4. Not approved: You're not approved for the program yet
  5. Merchant review: Conversion pending approval

When do I get paid?

Payment timing depends on the merchant's schedule. Check your program's payment terms in your dashboard.

Can I promote multiple programs?

Yes! You can join and promote as many programs as you want.

Is there a minimum payout?

Minimum payouts are set by individual merchants. Check each program's terms.

Technical Questions

How does the JavaScript tracking work?

  1. Script loads on your website
  2. Detects ?ref=CODE in URL
  3. Stores affiliate code in cookie
  4. Tracks page visit
  5. You call trackRegistration() or trackPurchase() when user converts

Full JavaScript documentation

Do I need to install anything?

No installation required. Just add our JavaScript snippet to your website's <head> section.

Does it slow down my website?

No. The script:

  • Loads asynchronously (async attribute)
  • Very small filesize (< 5KB)
  • No impact on page load time

Can I use it with React/Next.js/Vue?

Yes! Works with all modern frameworks. See examples in our JavaScript integration guide.

What about GDPR/privacy?

refVenue:

  • Only tracks necessary data
  • Respects user privacy
  • Doesn't use third-party tracking
  • You control data retention
  • Supports GDPR compliance

Include affiliate tracking in your privacy policy and get user consent where required.

Can I test before going live?

Yes! Use test mode:

  1. Create test program
  2. Use test Stripe keys (if using Stripe)
  3. Generate test referral links
  4. Test conversions
  5. Switch to live mode when ready

Integration Questions

Stripe vs Manual tracking?

Stripe Integration:

  • ✅ Automatic tracking
  • ✅ Auto-handles refunds/chargebacks
  • ✅ Auto-detects coupons
  • ✅ Always accurate
  • ❌ Requires Stripe

Manual Tracking:

  • ✅ Works with any payment system
  • ✅ More control
  • ❌ Requires code integration
  • ❌ Manual refund handling

Recommendation: Use Stripe if possible. Easier and more accurate.

Can I use both Stripe and manual tracking?

Yes, but not recommended. Stripe handles most cases automatically. Use manual tracking only for non-Stripe payments.

How do I track coupon codes?

With Stripe:

  • Automatic! Coupons detected from Stripe invoices
  • No code changes needed

With Manual Tracking:

// Pass coupon code instead of email
trackPurchase('COUPONCODE', 80.00);

Full coupon tracking guide

What if my tracking server is on a different domain?

Use the data-tracking-url attribute:

<script async src="https://yourdomain.com/refvenue.js"
        data-refvenue="YOUR_KEY"
        data-program-id="YOUR_PROGRAM_ID"
        data-tracking-url="http://localhost:3000"></script>

Troubleshooting

Conversions aren't showing up

Check:

  1. Tracking script loaded correctly
  2. trackRegistration() or trackPurchase() called after success
  3. Correct Publishable keys used
  4. Program is active
  5. Browser console for errors

"Rate limit exceeded" error

You've hit rate limits:

  • Clicks: 5/hour, 20/day per visitor
  • Conversions: 2/hour, 10/day per affiliate

This is normal anti-fraud protection. Regular usage won't hit these limits.

"Invalid Publishable key" error

  • Using wrong key (secret vs publishable)
  • Key was regenerated
  • Typo in key
  • Key is inactive

Get your key from Settings → API Keys/secrets.

Stripe connection not working

Try:

  1. Disconnect and reconnect
  2. Check Stripe account permissions
  3. Verify you're using the correct Stripe account
  4. Try incognito mode

Commissions are wrong

Check:

  1. Commission rate in program settings
  2. Passing post-discount amount (not pre-discount)
  3. Currency matches
  4. No accidental double-tracking

Billing & Plans

Can I change plans?

Yes, upgrade or downgrade anytime from your billing page.

What happens if I hit my plan limits?

We'll notify you and you can:

  • Upgrade to higher plan
  • Wait until next billing cycle
  • Contact support for custom plans

Do you offer refunds?

Yes, we offer a 30-day money-back guarantee on annual plans.

Still Need Help?

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